Santa Rosa, CA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)

On December 12, 2023, the Santa Rosa City Council adopted Ordinance ORD-2023-016 (codified at City Code Chapter 9-32, Hazardous Vegetation and Fuels Management), establishing locally enforced defensible-space and fuel-management requirements across the entire Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area (WUIFA) — approximately 9,000 parcels covering Fountaingrove, Oakmont, Skyhawk, Bennett Valley, and other foothill neighborhoods. The Santa Rosa Fire Department states: 'The new ordinance requires property owners to maintain defensible space throughout the entire Wildland Urban Interface Area (WUI), to remove certain fire damaged dead trees, remove specific hazardous vegetation, and to limit specific mulch within 30 feet of structures.' Defensible space is maintained 'in accordance with California Code of Regulation, Title 14, Section 1299.3 and Public Resources Code Section 4291 for all outbuildings within 100 feet of structures and all structures and attached decks within the WUIFA.' California PRC § 4291 itself requires 100 feet of defensible space from each side and the front and rear of a structure, with more intense fuel reductions between 5 and 30 feet and an ember-resistant zone within 5 feet of the structure. Santa Rosa's ordinance additionally requires removal of Scotch Broom, French Broom, and certain Bay trees within 30 feet of a right-of-way, within 30 feet of a property line, and within 100 feet of a structure. Mulch within 30 feet of structures is restricted (gorilla hair and certain combustible mulches must be removed). Property owners had until January 1, 2025 to perform vegetation/clearance work and until July 1, 2025 for mulch removal. The Fire Department inspects all WUIFA parcels once every three years on a rolling schedule (2025 Fountaingrove, 2026 Oakmont, 2027 Skyhawk/Bennett Valley).